


someone like me so close to home

by undernightlight



Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers S.P.D.
Genre: Childhood Memories, Domestic, Fluff, M/M, Trans Bridge Carson, Trans Male Character, Trans Sky Tate, mentions of parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:22:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25172308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/undernightlight/pseuds/undernightlight
Summary: He was nervous to come out to her, worried what she’d think, but she opened her arms to her son and hugged him so tight. “Nothing changes my dear,” she said, “I love you no less than before."Telling his parents was easy. He had no strong reservations, but he was so young he didn’t yet fully know the language to put to how he felt, at least not in a concise way.Sky didn't know anyone like him. Until suddenly he did.
Relationships: Bridge Carson/Sky Tate
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. movies and meccano

Sky didn’t like school much. He was smart, and he liked learning, but he hated school. The kids were mean and the teachers didn’t do anything to stop them. He could take most of the name calling, pretending it didn’t hurt as much as it did, but the comments made sly behind his back about his father were the worst. He got into a few fights over it, but it was always worth the punishment.

His favourite part of the school day was home time because nearly always, his mom would be there to pick him up. If she wasn’t, it was because she was working late, and he would go home and tidy the house; he was young, but he understood how hard his mom worked for him, to make sure he didn’t need to want for anything, and he loved her for that, so he did all he could to help her. And when she came home, they’d eat together and he’d do his homework if it wasn’t already done, and they’d watch TV together on the couch. She’d sometimes make popcorn if they were going to watch a film, and she’d let him eat nearly all of it because she knew how much he loved it.

He was nervous to come out to her, worried what she’d think, but she opened her arms to her son and hugged him so tight. “Nothing changes my dear,” she said, “I love you no less than before.” He told her he didn’t have a name yet. He asked about before they had him, what were the names if it was a boy. She listed a few - Nathan and Daniel and Atlas - and he liked them, but they weren’t special. And then she told him about how his father wanted to name him after his grandfather, Schuyler, and how he’d died when Scott was a teenager. Something about that name seemed right, to keep family as close as possible. “I can call you Sky too, if you like that,” she said, running a hand through his hair, and he nodded.

“I’d like that mom.”

Not accepting her son wasn’t an option for Amanda. She’d lost her husband, her high school sweetheart, her soulmate, and she refused to lose any other family, especially for a reason as silly as not allowing him to be himself.

It was hard on her when he went to join the SPD Academy. There was a risk of losing him, but she couldn’t stop him even if she wanted to, but she understood her son and knew he was going to do it, that it was where he belonged regardless of her reservations. She had him an extra year, his enlistment delayed until after his surgery and after he was fully healed. As frustrating as it was for Sky, he knew it was the right call; he couldn’t be doing these levels of physical activity, for these durations, with heavy chest compression.

He went back and passed his tests with flying colours. Sky was ready to live up to his father’s name, to continue the legacy, to become the Red Ranger.

# # # # # #

He moved around a lot as a child, not that he really minded. He wasn’t leaving any friends behind because he didn’t have any, but that didn’t bother him either; Bridge was happy sticking to himself, minding his own business. He knew he was different, but there was nothing about him that was normal.

Other kids found him annoying, including his brother and sister, and he was sure he got on his parents’ nerves too, but they all loved him regardless. His father was always moving around for his job, and his mother would always uproot their lives to follow him. His siblings were always far more annoyed than he was, but he did find it a hassle, that they’d live somewhere for a few months, a year, and then pack everything up just to repeat the process. For 10 years of his life, he was always moving, lacking that stability; no house ever really felt like a home.

His powers didn’t help him fit him, though he never made an effort to. He used to always wonder why his younger siblings didn’t share them, but he found they were adopted, so maybe that explained it. His parents would scold him about using his powers in public. They would’ve encouraged him to wear gloves, but he needed no encouragement; he wore gloves every day of his life, for everyone's sake as well as his own.

Bridge enjoyed many things and that included building. He liked Lego and K’Nex, but his favourite was Meccano. He’d sit for hours building with the cold metal pieces. He would sit and follow the instructions perfectly and admire his work before tearing it apart and building something from his own mind. His parents didn’t always seem to understand what he was building, even after he explained it, but they were glad he liked it. Bridge would get a new set every Hanukkah.

Telling his parents was easy, in a Bridge like way. He had no strong reservations, but he was so young he didn’t yet fully know the language to put to how he felt, at least not in a concise way. His parents were patient with him as he rambled, clearly trying to absorb as much as they could without missing whatever point he was trying to make. Eventually the point was made and they seemed to understand, at least enough to know he needed therapy to help clarify things, for everyone. His siblings were equally understanding.

Joining SPD was considered an odd decision by his parents. They always assumed he’d base himself in academics - when he could get a coherent sentence out, it was clear he was intelligent - but it was clear, especially in high school, that the cultivated environment was not one meant for him. So then they thought architecture or design, and though he still liked Meccano, his interests stretched out far. He could’ve been a musician, but the music world was too competitive and he had no interest in playing in front of crowds.

Maybe SPD wasn’t an anticipated path for Bridge, but he excelled at it, and for once, his powers weren’t a hindrance, but instead an asset.


	2. i'll read aloud but only for you

It wasn’t that Sky was ashamed of his body or who he was, but he knew there were still people who would look at him differently if they knew; Earth, at times, seemed more accepting of alien beings than of its own people. He knew as an SPD officer, having people’s trust and respect meant he could do his job to the best of his ability, so there was no point in sharing what they didn’t need to know.

And it wasn’t that he didn’t trust his teammates, but it never seemed important and there never seemed an organic way to bring it up without overwhelming himself with unwanted emotions.

He wasn’t ashamed, but he did hide it. He always left his shared room to dress, afraid his scars would be seen and they’d only lead to questions. He kept anything pertaining to that side of himself in a wash back, pushing to the back of a drawn and covered with folded clothes. No one needed to know; why risk things changing when it could all go horribly wrong?

They had been given some well deserved downtime, and he was thankful. It was taking a toll on him, not that he’d ever complain, but it was nice to know he had a break. Of course, if he and the team were needed, they’d be there, but the illusion of complete and utter abandonment of duties, for once, felt nice. The rest of the team went out, but he didn’t feel like it, despite their begging; Sky was happy to stay in the Command Centre, tucking into his room relaxing.

After the team left, he took a shower before returning back to his room. It felt almost scandalous to take his t-shirt back off once in the privacy of his private space; before SPD, with just him and his mom, he could be shirtless around the house and it was fine, but not here, not even in his room. But everyone was out, and wouldn’t be back for hours easily, and so even though it was such a small thing, in reality, being able to lay on his own bed without wearing a t-shirt felt like a substantial freedom.

He was reading - not the SPD handbook for once, but a book Bridge had recommended as once of his personal favourites- when the door to his quarters opened and he bolted upright. The only person who would just enter without request would be Bridge, and so it was, walking in and already taking his jacket off and throwing it onto his bed.

“Hey Sky. How’s the book so far, have you gotten to the part where - woah…”

Very Bridge-like, talking first without assessing his surroundings, he stopped once he saw Sky staring at him, frozen and wide eyed. The ‘woah’ was getting to Sky; woah what? He felt a tightening in his stomach, the book clutched against him.

“Wow, your scars look so good, much smoother than mine, though I suppose I can’t accurately judge from here. Did you use a specific scar cream or just like, the one the doctor gave you, because I went and got a different one because mine itched a lot. Did yours itch - do yours still itch, because mine do and I’m not sure why, it’s been years.”

Bridge always rambled, and though Sky was used to that, he wasn’t used to the content of the rambling, and how casually Bridge had picked up on his scars. “Your, your scars?”

“I still use the cream sometimes when I get itchy just because I like it and it smells nice, not that medically smell, smells sort of like lavender, or is it more floral, maybe even a citrus hint -”

“B-Bridge, Bridge,” Sky interrupted but it could get much further, and luckily it worked. “Your, urm, your trans?” He nodded with a subdued enthusiasm. “You never told me.”

“It never came up. And, well, to be fair, you didn’t tell me either.”

“I didn’t know how to, how to tell any of you guys.”

“You don’t have to, it’s not anyone’s business, and that includes me, but if you ever want to talk about that stuff with me, you can.”

For all the stress and anxiety that had been within Sky since joining the academy in regards to being transgender, the eventual reveal, expected or otherwise, was surprisingly underwhelming. He was expecting more questions, about HRT or his surgery or ‘so, when did you know?’ type questions, but instead he got an easy and comfortable acceptance, though Sky definitely wasn’t expecting another team member to be like him in that way.

Bridge sat on his bed, guitar on his knee but unplugged and quiet. In hopes of, well, Sky wasn’t sure what he was expecting next, he changed the subject. “I thought you guys went out.”

“Oh we did, but I decided to come back.”

“Why?”

There was a pause, Bridge’s fingers hovering over the strings. “Well, because I missed you. It was no fun without you there, so I decided to come back early.”

“Oh.” He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to respond, but that was all that came out. It wasn’t a bad sound, Sky was just surprised, but being missed, selfishly, it felt good.

“How do you like the book?” Bridge asked, the subject changing again.

“I like it, it’s good,” and with a smile he added, “It’s very you, Bridge.”

It garnered a smile, wide and toothy and so very, very warm. “I’m glad. Where are you up to?”

“About to start chapter four. You’re welcome to stay.”

“I can’t exactly read it from here,” he replied with a chuckle, motioning to his bed as he set his guitar down.

“I can, urm, I can read it out loud, if that would help.” Sky couldn’t meet his gaze, instead staring at the page in front of him.

“Yeah,” Bridge replied, nodding, “Yeah, that’s good.” Bridge shuffled and settled himself on his side, able to still see Sky. Knowing Bridge’s full attention was on him, he was feeling hot under the metaphorical collar, but he began reading regardless. His voice was a little shaky, but he eventually found a pace that was comfortable. At first, he occasionally snuck glances across, and Bridge would still be there watching and listening with a smile on his face. 

He finished chapter four and then five before his attention drew back up to Bridge, who was now fast asleep, mouth open and drool starting to pool on his pillow. Sky found it endearing, more than he’d ever admit, but it was okay to think it; he couldn’t help but smile, despite knowing he could’ve read an entire chapter out loud to no one but himself.

Thinking it best to leave Bridge to sleep, Sky marker chapter six, set the book on his bed and stood. He hovered a moment, before taking the blanket messily folded on the back of Bridge’s chair and draped it across him; Sky was not one to fall asleep anywhere but his bed in anything but his pyjamas, but the occasional times he had fallen asleep in unusual places, he’d woken with a blanket around him. He wasn’t sure who it was at first, falling asleep in the common spaces so it could be anyone from his team, but then he’d fallen asleep - practically passed out - on his bed, still fully dressed, shoes still on, and still woken up with a blanket. It had to be Bridge, every single time. It was only fair Sky repay the favour at least once.

If he was honest with himself, he still had questions. Bridge was surprisingly unsurprised, and seemingly comfortable disclosing the fact that he was also trans. Sky had never met anyone else like him, and he had questions about so many things, and maybe Bridge wouldn’t want to answer and he’d respect that, but being able to talk about these things would be nice.

Sky left their room, really in the mood for some buttery toast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked ^_^
> 
> I personally tried to actually avoid using the word "trans" or "transgender" and I don't know why but I like it when it's not just like, written like that (idk if that makes sense), but for this I needed to, just so like Sky knew there was no confusion on anyone's part of the understanding.

**Author's Note:**

> ngl I'm heacannoning Bridge naming himself after literal bridges because he used to love building them over sinks and bathtubs


End file.
